NHS must tackle cancer survival "lottery"

LONDON (Reuters) - The British government and health charities called for action on Tuesday after "shocking" figures revealed that a cancer patient's chances of success depended hugely on where they lived.

A report by the Cancer Reform Strategy showed that survival rates fluctuated greatly across the country, with much higher levels of deaths in poorer areas.

"Patients are undoubtedly not being diagnosed early enough in large parts of the country, nor are they getting equal access to the best treatments, such as surgery for lung cancer."

The survey found that patients with lung cancer in Hertfordshire were three times more likely to die within a year of diagnosis than those in the London borough of Kensington and Chelsea.

For bowel cancer, the one-year survival rate in Telford and Wrekin in central England was 80 percent compared to 58 percent in the worst areas.

Breast cancer survival was 99 percent in Torbay on the south coast, while it was 89 percent in London's Tower Hamlets area.

"It's a disgrace that such a small proportion of PCTs (Primary Care Trusts) have survival rates that match the best figures in Europe, or even the best rates in Europe ten years ago," Kumar said.

Health Secretary Andy Burnham said the report showed that cancer treatment in Britain had improved in recent years, with mortality rates down by almost 20 percent since 1997, but accepted more needed to be done.

"We know that survival rates vary across the country, particularly in deprived areas, so this year's report has deliberately focused on local variations so we can highlight to the NHS where they need to take action," he said.

The report's author Professor Mike Richards said ensuring better awareness and early diagnosis were vital to getting survival rates up to the level of the best European countries.